The Skin Thing
by girlfrustrateme
Summary: WAYHAUGHT slowburn Waverly Earp returns to Purgatory, a college dropout from the big city. Nicole Haught is starting to find herself lost in the small town life. Wynonna Earp introduces them which marks the messiest stage of their life, also the best. All of the usual WE stuff doesn't exist (the curse, anything that isn't "normal"). The town may seem a little bigger in this story.


**I need more Wayhaught in my life so why not create some? This is going to be a long fic so hopefully some people will read it and stick with it. Chapters will be longer in future and I hope to update in the future. Feel free to leave comments, even if it's to critique something :) **

Retail breaks everyone, even Waverly. Or maybe it was the college life. Maybe it was living in the big city. How many justifications could she come up with? Oh, it didn't matter. As if Wynonna and Willa cared anyway. Her bartending job would still be there, right? Waverly sighed as she looked out the window, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding her head up. She hadn't really let anyone down. She hadn't.

Going back to the town life was better. Real connections, a real purpose in life. Not just another mindless cog in the big city machine. Waverly cranked the pop tunes throwback show up a little louder to drown out the thoughts. A couple of hours and she would be back in Purgatory, home. Hopefully a couple of hours after that she would be back behind the counter at Shorty's, serving far too much liquor to the residents. One could only hope.

Waverly's head babble was interrupted by an incoming call. Wynonna. Oh, Willa on Wynonna's phone.

"Hi! We've got the welcome home party goin' on!"

Waverly smiled widely at her older sister. Willa only ever feigned excitement; it was nice to hear some genuine feeling.

"Good. I'm gonna need so much food when I get home. All these long, winding roads are making me hungry," Waverly explained.

"Country roads take me home…" Wynonna made her presence known.

"To the place I belong!" Waverly sang back.

"And on that note, I'm hanging up. God, I can't wait to experience this in person again," laughed Willa.

"I love you both, see you soon! Say hi to Doc and Dolls for me." Waverly knew they'd be awkwardly waiting around too.

"We love you too! Continue to drive safe. Mwah!"

Waverly smirked as the call disconnected. She truly couldn't wait to be home.

* * *

Policing was such a rocky job for Nicole. Some days were great and other days she wanted to pack up and leave this town. Today was one of the latter. Every second call in was for a drunk asshole harassing a shop owner or a civilian in the street. The next guy to make a comment about her appearance was getting his ass handed to him – one of the perks of small-town police forces. Nedley would pay to witness that, and then help her haul their ass into a cell. This town had promised a new beginning for Nicole – from Shae, from her parents, from life – but she was yet to find it. She thought of Waverly returning today and how things would be. She hadn't spoken to the youngest Earp despite being very close with her older sister, Wynonna. She'd heard great things and couldn't wait to meet this mystical being. But first, another asshole to deal with.

"Hey, go home. Sober up. Unless you want to end up in a cell."

"Will you be in the cell, officer?"

Nicole rolled her eyes so hard she thought her head might explode. She jammed the cuffs on her second idiot of the day before hurling him into the back of her truck. God, give me strength, she thought. Her concentration fell as an unfamiliar car drove by. The woman driving looked very much like- she must be Waverly. Nicole stared through the window, not able to gain even a glance from Waverly. The car became smaller as it drove out of sight. Nicole received a text from Wynonna who was demanding her presence at the homestead in exactly ten minutes. Speaking of strength, God worked in mysterious ways.

* * *

It was good to see home hadn't changed much. Just the usual cranks ruining the new police officers' lives. Waverly felt increasingly calmer as her family home became more prominent in her vision. The homestead, with its layer of snow, sat quietly while demanding nothing. It existed peacefully; its arms always open for the girls. Waverly was relieved to see wood and shoddy building that, somehow, outlasted several generations. She dreamed of carefully placing her feet on each panel of creaking wood, pulling at the bannisters which were never tight enough. One day she would tug on it and the entire wall would come away. Lately, she tugged on the threads of her life. Exiting her car, she stood on the staircase of her mind as the walls fell to the ground. Thankfully, her sisters slammed the front door open.

"Waverly is home!"

"Thank you, Willa. Glad to confirm it is our sister and not someone posing as her."

Waverly laughed as she let some tears escape. The home feeling was creeping down her skin, chilling her to the bone – in the best possible way. In Wynonna's arms was a cake, a terrible looking cake that could have been made by a 5-year-old, Waverly's favourite kind. The icing still wasn't dry, and the letters looked shaky. She couldn't wait to try it.

Just as Waverly embraced her sisters for the first time in ten months, a car door slammed. Doc and Dolls appeared from inside the house, also curious to see who else had showed up. Waverly felt panic when she recognised the police vehicle. What had Doc been up to now?

"Waverly don't panic. Officer Haught is a good friend of mine. We figured you should both meet. Nobody is getting arrested," laughed Wynonna.

Nicole's face caught the light as she removed her hat. Luscious red locks fell as she took out the hair tie. Flashing a smile at everyone, Nicole raised her hand slightly at Waverly – a polite "hello". Waverly started to get that skin feeling again.


End file.
